Something For Everyone Every Time

 "I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able;" 1 Cor.3:2

Last night pastor preached what I heard as Theology 1.0. It was solid Bible preaching on a topic that is basic to the Christian life. It was not deep or hard to understand. It was food for our souls.

What kind of food was it you might ask? This text tells me it was baby food. Easy to eat, easy to understand, and easy to digest. It seemed to meet a need in this church.

It is hard not to compare where I am to where I was. But I cannot not think back to a time when this sermon would have been perfect for me.

Not every sermon in church is for everybody. But every sermon is good, and it feeds our souls, whether we are babies or grown men. Not everything is for everyone, but there is something for everyone in every sermon.

A Good Day

Sometimes, when I read in the Psalms, I can relate to the anger or the anguish that David or Asaph must have felt when they wrote their songs. This morning, in my devotions, I was reading a Psalm of David and I noticed that my life today is so much better than his was in ancient days. I am at peace, I have rest, and even with my meager fixed income I have enough.

There are times when the the Bible speaks directly to my situation. The rest of the time I enjoy reading and knowing that God is the same no matter how much we have changed. 

"Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Lam.3:22-23

Life can be full of ups and downs, good time and bad times. Most of life is pretty daily and mundane. But God, who is rich in mercy and whose grace is greater, never slumbers or sleeps. He's been faithful to me!

Monday Morning Musings

 I have noticed recently how what works for one person may not work for another person. What brings happiness or joy to one person may not have the same effect on another person. Activities that may challenge and inspire one may not do the same for another. This ties on to the realization that what I used to be able to do I might not still be able to do.

Life is full of changes as long as we live. This is one reason why we have been told that life must be lived to the end. 

I want to remind you that, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. And, one size usually does not fit all. 

Like the prophet Ricky Nelson sang in the song Garden Party:

"But it's all right now, I learned my lesson well. You see, you can't please everyone so you got to please yourself."

The words of the Bible seem to fit here.

"...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure."  Phil.2:12-13

God is always working in us and through us. Amen!

The Still, Small Voice Still Speaks Today

 I needed wisdom concerning my health care. I was given medicine that I did not feel comfortable taking. I also want to do what my doctors tell me is best for me. Let me say that after seeking advice from family and friends, the way forward began to emerge and I saw clearly what I needed to do. So when I got home from church I did what I felt was the right thing to do.

Not all decisions are life changing or earth shaking. Wisdom is knowing what is the best or most important thing to do. Or to stop doing.

Only time will tell if the decisions we make in life were really important. Between making the choice and seeing the results is the time to trust God and walk by faith.

Thank God for His still, small voice today.

Is There Any Difference?

 Jesus made it clear that we as the church are to be different from the world around us. That our influence in the Gospel is connected to our difference from the world. Getting saved is not about how God made my life better, but how He changed my life. The difference is like the difference between light and darkness.

Today, in some Evangelical churches, we spend our time imitating the world and making ourselves like the world to win the lost. We have become addicted to emotionalism and sermons light on conviction. Instead of being light in the midst of darkness, we turn down the lights and make the room dark. We have stopped caring for the sheep so that we can impress the goats.

In my early days in the Faith I heard about worldlings who did not change and who added Chris to their name. Christian cowboys, Christian bikers, Christian musicians, etc. Add Jesus to your bag just in case. The Gospel seems to have lost the power to change anyone. Now, we strain at a gnat, and swallow the camel and say that God is pleased with us because we are big.

Jesus promised that after He had gone away that He would send the Holy Spirit, whom He called the spirit of truth. Today, we cast out truth for success, and truth lies wounded in the street.

There are churches today who have had enough. They have pews, and hymnals, and no screens. They turn the lights up and they turn the music down. The pastor preaches real sermons, not watered down feel good about yourself chats.

As one wise pastor once said, truth is hard on church growth.

Unwritten Rules of Dating in our Fellowship

Pastor's Unwritten Rules for Dating

1. The 6 month rule. Let new converts alone for 6 months. Let them serve the Lord for a while first. 

2. Don't play the field. Be patient. Let God help you find the right one.

3. Limit your scope. Have a target audience to draw from. Date someone from your own church.

4. Seek counsel from pastor or others. Get advice on a person or an activity.

5. Friendship first. Get to know someone. Talk to them.  Do not rush into marriage.

6. Let the man make the first move. Men, break the ice. Women, be open and receptive to a man's advances.

7. Be the kind of person you want the other person to be. To marry a Christian, be a Christian.

This is good advice. Especially if you are young and unmarried. It gives you guidelines to use in place of pure emotions.

Texas Sized Outreach

 We have an impact team going this Saturday to support one of our pioneer churches that we planted this year. The drive just to get there from here is over 5 hours. Welcome to outreach in Texas!